The deportation of a convicted sex offender on the Governor’s orders was welcomed by a charity leader.

Tina Laws, the executive director of the Women’s Resource Centre, said on Sunday she hoped that the decision, announced in court last week, would give confidence to other victims of sex abuse.

She added: “Hopefully the verdict will gain their trust, showing women that coming forward and reporting crimes will be handled fairly, in spite of the offender completing his prison sentence.

“It further sets the stage for individuals contemplating any sexual attempt on another.

“In such a small community, no one should feel unsafe.”

Ms Laws was speaking after Brittonie Taylor, 40, was told that a challenge to his deportation back to his homeland of Jamaica had failed.

The Supreme Court heard on Thursday that Rena Lalgie, the Governor, ordered him to be sent back to his homeland.

Taylor was jailed in 2012 after he pleaded guilty to a daylight serious sexual assault on a woman at a bus stop on South Road in Smith's the previous year.

Ms Laws said: “This verdict is a win-win for women and their families in Bermuda.

“No woman should be subjected to such a crime, ever.”

Taylor admitted carrying his victim to an isolated area and forcing her to perform a sex act on him.

He also attempted to rape the woman but she was able to alert a passer-by to the attack.

Taylor’s 16-year sentence was later reduced to 14 years by the Court of Appeal.

He also admitted to twice accosting a jogger in Hamilton Parish 35 minutes before the bus stop attack and was sentenced to another year in jail for intruding on the woman’s privacy.

Kathy Lynn Simmons, the Attorney-General, issued a public notice warning when Taylor was released from jail in October 2020.

The Governor signed a deportation order and he was due to be flown back to Jamaica on March 29 last year.

But Taylor was arrested the day before the flight for an alleged failure to attend a preflight Covid-19 test and breach of an order to quarantine.

Puisne Judge Larry Mussenden said a rescheduled deportation by private jet, scheduled for April 23 last year, should not go ahead until the outcome of civil proceedings launched in an attempt to get the deportation order quashed was known.

Taylor said in an affidavit last year that he had a 23-year-old stepdaughter, 17-year-old twins and a ten-year-old son with his Bermudian wife.

He added: “My son was — and still is — extremely distressed when he learned that I had been taken back to prison and that the authorities are considering my deportation.”

Mr Justice Mussenden said last Thursday: “I’m going to now lift the stay of the deportation order so that the deportation can continue. That is the order of the court.”

He added: “Best wishes to Mr Taylor.”

Ms Laws said that she believed that Mr Justice Mussenden’s remarks meant that he hoped Taylor would continue his rehabilitation.

She explained: “I am of the opinion that a man of Mr Justice Mussenden’s calibre is sharing ‘best wishes’ on the grounds that Mr Taylor will further his therapeutic support and sexual offender treatment upon his return to his home town.”

• It is The Royal Gazette’s policy not to allow comments on stories regarding court cases. As we are legally liable for any libellous or defamatory comments made on our website, this move is for our protection as well as that of our readers.